Telling India, China To 'Stop Doing What I Don't Like' Won't Work: Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov Blasts Trump Tariffs

(MENAFN- Live Mint) India and China are ancient civilizations that cannot be swayed by threats, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who believes that pressure from the US will only cause both countries to seek alternatives, as per an PTI report.

According to Lavrov, the US is also beginning to understand the“futility” of using ultimatums while working out deals with India and China, Lavrov said while speaking in 'The Great Game' programme of Russia's main Channel 1 TV.

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“Both China and India are ancient civilisations. And talking to them like 'either you stop doing what I don't like or I'll impose tariffs on you' won't wor,” he said.

Adding,“Ogoing contacts between Beijing and Washington, between New Delhi and Washington, show that the American side understands it, too.”

He pointed to the reaction of New Delhi and Beijing to the US demands.

“Besides the fact that this undermines the economic well-being of those countries, it at least creates very serious difficulties for them, forcing them to seek new markets, new sources of energy supplies, (and) forcing them to pay higher prices. But beyond this, and perhaps even more importantly than this, there is a moral and political opposition to this approach,” he added.

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Amid threats of new sanctions on Russia, Lavrov said he does not see any problem.

“Frankly speaking, I don't see any problem with the new sanctions imposed on Russia. An enormous amount of sanctions, unprecedented for that period, were imposed during President Donald Trump's first term,” as per Lavrov.

“We have started to draw conclusions from the situation when the West imposed these sanctions. Later, during President Joe Biden's term, sanctions were used as a replacement for any diplomatic effort. There was no search for a compromise,” he added.

(With inputs from PTI)

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